If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. Bureau of CrimeSlatGstics and Research " ~DRUGS AND. CRIME Research Study No.2 IIS~dt{ DRUGS AND CRIME A Survey of N.S.W. Prison Property Offenders 1984 by Ian Dobinson Pat Ward fEB liJ Rec'd ACQ UI8fTf.ON 5 N.S.W. Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research Attorney General's Department (with the financial assistance of the N.S.W. Drug and Alcohol Authority) 50716-5850 J; 1985 Published by the Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research Department of the Attorney General and ofJustice 8-12 Chifley Square, Sydney. 1,I 11 1, ISBN 730512029 115h04 U.S. Department of Justlce National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating it. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granted by Attorney ~eneral's Office New South 1''7ales (!overnmen± to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). Further reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permis­ sion of the copyright owner. A full list of the Bureau's, pUblications appears on the last pages of this publication. Preface The escalating rate of property crime in New South Wales, especially burglary and armed robbery, and the consequent assumption that such crimes are drug-related pro­ vided the background for this study. The aim of the study was to examine this assertion scientifically. It was subsequently found that there is a link between the commission of property crime and drug addicti'on in New South Wales. It is always difficult for society to corne to grips with broad-ranging problems such as drug addiction and the growth of property crime. They impinge on several government jurisdictions, private organi.lations and members of the public living in many localities. It is for this very reason that governments establish broad-based bodies such as the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and the N.S.W. Drug and Alcohol Authority. It is hoped that the information contained in this report will be of value in the establish­ ment of policy. A special acknowledgement must first be made to the N.S.W. Drug and: Alcohol Auth­ ority for its financial assistance. Without such assistance the study would not have been possible. In this regard the continued support of Bruce Flaherty of the Authority is appreciated. Thanks are also due to those staff members of the Bureau who assisted in this project, especially Don Weatherburn, Judy Cashmore, Trevor Milne, Kate Aisbett, Jackie Bransdon and Mariam Smith, and to all those in the Attorney-General's typing pool who worked on the report. The project has particular bearing on the N.S.W. Department of Corrective Services. The Corrective Services Commission has been encouraging throughout this study and special thanks are due to Don Porritt of the Department of Corrective Services for his assistance in arranging access at the gaols visited and to all officers and administrative staff at those gaols. Finally we would also thank all those prisoners who voluntarily undertook the interview. Dr. A.J. Sutton Director (iii) ,~ . Contents Page Introduction .............................................................................. , ...... , ....... 1 Chapter L A Review of the Literature ......... , ............... , .......................................... 3 II. Methodology ............................................. " ................. , .. .. .. .......... .. 17 III. Resu1ts .......................................................................................... 29 Section 1. Drug and Alcohol Use .......................................................... 31 Section 2. Oriminal Activity ................................ , ............................... 42 Section 3. The Relationship between Drugs and Orime .............................. 48 Section 4. A Review of the Results ........................................................ 57 IV. Oonclusion ..................................................................................... 59 Appendices Appendix A. Interview Schedule/Questionnaire ........................................................ 71 B. The Pilot Study ................................................................................ 81 O. Additional Tables ....................................................-, ........................ 83 D. Olassification of Drug and Alcohol Use According to Reported Oonsumption .. 87 * * * *" * Bibliography ...................................................... '" . " .............................. , 89 Tables 1. Property Offender Sample .................................................................. 20 2. Institution by User/Non-User Breakdown ............................................... 21 3. Age Breakdown ................................................................................ 22 4. Marital Status ................................................................................. 22 5. Place of Residence ............................................................................ 23 6. Highest Educational Achievement ........................................................ 24 7. Employment Status at Time of Arrest.. .................................................. 24 8. Mqjor Offence Breakdown .................................................................. 25 9. Frequency of Drug and Alcohol Use by Users in the Period Prior to Arrest. ..... 32 10. Frequency of Drug and Alcohol Use by Non-Users in the Period Prior to Arrest .......................................................................................... 32 11. Main Drug of Ohoice ........................................................................ 33 12. Substitutes Used by Heroin Users ......................................................... 33 13. Weekly Heroin Oonsumption of Heroin Users ......................................... 34 H. Weekly Drug Expenditure of Heroin Users ............................................. 34 15. Means by which Heroin Users Obtained their Drugs ................ , ................ 35 (v) 16. Drug Sale Activities of Heroin Users ..................................................... 36 17. Ages of First and Regular Use of Drugs by User/Non-User ......................... 36 18. Probability of Use of Drugs and/or Alcohol ............................................. 37 19. Reasons for the Regular Use of Heroin .................................................. 37 20. Age of Addiction .............................................................................. 38 21. Length of Addiction .......................................................................... 38 22. Longest Period of Abstinence .............................................................. 39 23. Types of Treatment Experiences .......................................................... 39 24. Effect of Treatment on Drug Use .......................................................... 40 25. Time Taken to Resume Use/Sales/Crime After Treatment ........ , ................ 40 26. Users' Reasons for Committing their Major Offence ................................. 42 27. Non-Users' Reasons for Committing their Major Offence ........................... 43 28. Crime in Period Prior to Arrest by User/Non-User ................................... 44 29. Main Source ofIncome by User/Non-User ............................................. 44 30. Weekly Income from Property Crime by User/Non-User ........................... 45 31. Ages of First and Regular Involvement in Crime by User/Non-User .............. 46 32. Conditional Probability of Becoming Involved in Regular Property Crime by User/Non-User ................................................................................ 47 33. Temporal Sequence of Crime and Heroin Use ......................................... 48 34. Temporal Sequence of First Property Crime and First Heroin Use ................ 50 35. Temporal Sequence of Regular Property Crime and Regular Heroin Use ....... 51 36. Effect of Regular Heroin Use on Crime .................................................. 51 37. Numbers Involved in Particular Types of Crime by Level of Heroin Consumption .................................................................................. 53 38. Number of Crimes Committed by Level of Heroin Consumption ................. 54 39. Intoxication at Time of Offence ............................................................ 54 40. Effect of Treatment on Criminal Activity ................................................ 55 41. Effect of Abstinence on Criminal Activity ............................................... 55 Appendix Tables A. Status of Job by User/Non-User ........................................................... 83 B. Length ofUnemploytnent by User/Non-User .......................................... 83 C. Reasons for Abstinence ...................................................................... 83 D. Reasons for Treatment ...................................................................... 84 E. Completion of Treatment ................................................................... 84 F. Main Reason for Committing Major Offence by User/Non-User ................. 84 G. Main Illicit Activities by User/Non-User ................................................ 85 H. Weekly Income from Drug Sales by User/Non-User